Method and system for accessing interactive multimedia information or services by touching marked items on physical documents

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a system and method for selecting and accessing multimedia information and/or services located on one or a plurality of servers connected to a communication network simply by touching with a finger items marked on a physical document or on any other physical surface. The system includes a touch foil placed over (or under) the document for reading coordinates of selected marked items, and a user workstation for accessing the information and/or the service associated with the selected marked items.  
     Items marked on the documents are selected by pressing the touch foil placed over (or under) the document. Once a marked item is selected, the user workstation receives from the touch foil a signal indicating the position of the selected marked item. The user workstation identifies in a hyperlink table a server and within this server the information and/or the service associated with the position of the selected marked item. Finally, a request is sent to the identified server for accessing the desired information and/or service.  
     In a particular embodiment, the user workstation is connected to the Internet network and comprises a Web Browser application. Servers are Web servers and the information or/and the service are Web pages linked to the items marked on the physical document and selected by the user when pressing the touch foil on the corresponding mark on the document.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to interactive hypermedia systemsand more particularly to a method and system for creating hyperlinksfrom physical documents (manuscripts or printed documents) to locally orremotely accessible servers and for triggering said hyperlinks simply bytouching marked items (e.g., words, pictures, foot notes, symbols,icons) on said physical documents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Internet

[0002] The Internet (the “Net”) is a global network of computers andcomputer networks. The Internet connects computers that use a variety ofdifferent operating systems or languages, including UNIX, DOS, WINDOWS,Macintosh, and others. To facilitate and allow the communication amongthese various systems and languages, the Internet uses a languagereferred to as TCP/IP (“Transmission Control Protocol/InternetProtocol”). TCP/IP protocol supports three basic applications on theInternet: transmitting and receiving electronic mail; logging intoremote computers (the “Telnet”); and transferring files and programsfrom one computer to another (“FTP” or “File Transfer Protocol”).

World Wide Web

[0003] With the increasing size and complexity of the Internet, toolshave been developed to help find information on the network. These toolsare often called navigators or navigation systems. Navigation systemsthat have been developed include standards such as Archie, Gopher andWAIS. The World Wide Web (“WWW” or “the Web”) is a recent superiornavigation system.

[0004] The Web is an Internet-based navigation system, an informationdistribution and management system for the Internet, and a dynamicformat for communicating on the Web.

[0005] The Web seamlessly, for the user, integrates format ofinformation, including still images, text, audio and video. A user onthe Web using a graphical user interface (“GUI,” pronounced “gooey”) maytransparently communicate with different host computers on the system,different system applications (including FTP and Telnet), and differentinformation formats for files and documents including, for example,text, sound and graphics.

Hypermedia

[0006] The Web uses hypertext and hypermedia. Hypertext is a subset ofhypermedia and refers to computer-based “documents” in which readersmove from one place to another in a document, or to another document, ina non-linear manner. To do this, the Web uses a client-serverarchitecture. The Web servers enable the user to access hypertext andhypermedia information through the Web and the user's computer. (Theuser's computer is referred to as a client computer of the Web Servercomputers.) The clients send requests to the Web Servers, which react,search and respond. The Web allows client application software torequest and receive hypermedia documents (including formatted text,audio, video and graphics) with hypertext link capabilities to otherhypermedia documents, from a Web file server.

[0007] The Web, then, can be viewed as a collection of document filesresiding on Web host computers that are interconnected by hyperlinksusing networking protocols, forming a virtual “web” that spans theInternet.

Uniform Resource Locators

[0008] A resource of the Internet is unambiguously identified by aUniform Resource Locator (URL), which is a pointer to a particularresource at a particular location. An URL specifies the protocol used toaccess a server (e.g., hyper text transfer protocol, FTP, or otherprotocol), the name of the server, and the location of a file on thatserver.

Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

[0009] Each Web page that appears on client monitors of the Web mayappear as a complex document that integrates, for example, text, images,sounds and animation. Each such page may also contain hyperlinks toother Web documents so that a user at a client computer using a mousemay click on icons and may activate hyperlink jumps to a new page (whichis a graphical representation of another document file) on the same or adifferent Web server.

[0010] A Web server is a software program on a Web host computer thatanswers requests from Web clients, typically over the Internet. All Webservers use a language or protocol to communicate with Web clients whichis called Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”). All types of data canbe exchanged among Web servers and clients using this protocol,including Hyper Text Markup Language (“HTML”), graphics, sound andvideo. HTML describes the layout, contents and hyperlinks of thedocuments and pages. Web clients when browsing convert user specifiedcommands into HTTP GET requests, connect to the appropriate Web serverto get information, and wait for a response. The response from theserver can be the requested document or an error message. After thedocument or an error message is returned, the connection between the Webclient and the Web server is closed.

[0011] The first version of HTTP is a stateless protocol. That is, withHTTP there is no continuous connection between each client and eachserver. The Web client using HTTP receives a response as HTML data orother data. This description applies to version 1.0 of HTTP protocol,while the new version 1.1 breaks this barrier of stateless protocol bykeeping the connection between the server and client alive under certainconditions.

Browser

[0012] After receipt, the Web client formats and presents the data oractivates an ancillary application such a sound player to present thedata. To do this, the server or the client determines the various typesof data received. The Web Client is also referred to as the Web Browser,since it in fact browses documents retrieved from the Web Server.

Interactive Access to Multimedia Services

[0013] Interactive electronic services, video-on-demand, and the WorldWide Web are providing access to an increasing offering of movies,shopping information, games, multimedia documents, electronic commerceand many other services. A major problem in using these systems is tobrowse the enormous variety and quantity of possible choices to discoverwhat is available, and to make a selection. By example, when surfing onthe Web, a conventional method to navigate across many pages ofhypertext documents consists of using search tools or invokingbookmarked links to the different required topics. When surfing onvideo-on-demand services, a conventional method to navigate is to surfon channels. Advertisements on preview channels are used as entry pointsto other movies. Users can navigate and make selections from a remotecontrol using hierarchical menus. Obviously, these approaches do notallow a rapid access and browsing of the thousands of multimediadocuments that are available on the Web or interactive TV.

[0014] The present invention is based on the recognition of twosignificant facts. The first fact is that people are very skilled atbrowsing through paper catalogs, magazines, newspapers, maps and booksby flipping through the pages and glancing at pictures and text.

[0015] A collection of printed color photographs can be much easily andquickly browsed than a sequence of computer screens. Paper has a numberof useful properties: paper is easy to read, mark, and manipulate; andpaper is portable, familiar and can be easily distributed.

[0016] Many electronic systems attempt to replace paper by providingmany advantages such as, for example, a better access to multimediaservices. However, most users prefer to work with paper. It is difficultto foresee, for example, the replacement in the future, of papercatalogs by electronic catalogs (e.g., by Web accessible catalogs). Thepublication entitled “The Last Book”, IBM Systems Journal, Vol 36, No. 3Vol 36, No. 3 - 1997, by J. Jacobson, B. Comiskey, C. Turner, J. Albert,and P. Tsao of the MIT Media Laboratory, compares printed books andcomputer screens in the following terms:

[0017] “A book represents a fundamentally different entity than acomputer screen in that it is a physical embodiment of a large number ofsimultaneous high-resolution displays. When we turn the page, we do notlose the previous page. Through evolution the brain has developed ahighly sophisticated spatial map. Persons familiar with a manual ortextbook can find information that they are seeking with highspecificity, as evidenced by their ability to remember whether somethingthat was seen only briefly was on the right side or left side of a page,for instance. Furthermore their haptic connection with the brain'sspatial map comprises a highly natural and effective interface, whensuch information is embodied on actual multiple physical pages.

[0018] Another aspect of embodying information on multiple, simultaneouspages is that of serendipity and comparison. We may leaf through a largevolume of text and graphics, inserting a finger bookmark into thoseareas of greatest interest. Similarly, we may assemble a large body ofsimilar matter in order to view elements in contrast to one another,such as might be done to determine which of a particular set ofgraphical designs is most satisfying”.

[0019] Out of those advantages the most important problem, of course,with traditional printed books is that they cannot be changed, amended,updated or completed.

[0020] During the last years, due mainly to the widespread use ofpersonal computers and the universal access of millions of users to theWorld Wide Web, the “multimedia publishing” has veritably exploded. Dueto the widespread penetration of CD-ROM drives an enormous amount ofmultimedia titles combining text, images and sounds, are now accessibleto owners of personal computers. In this evolution, an incredible amountof hypermedia information is today accessible via the Internet on theWorld Wide Web.

[0021] Even when the public's enthusiasm for new computer-basedmultimedia services has been seen by many analysts as a threat to theconventional forms of hard-copied publishing, particularly bookpublishing, the real fact is that reading a book cannot be compared withreading an electronic media. Reading paper remains preferable for mostpeople, whether they are familiar with computers or not.

[0022] The second fact is that touching directly the objects we havearound is one of the simplest, most instinctive, and universal humanactions. Finger pointing and touching are the most natural form ofhuman/machine interface. The action of touching is so simple and naturalthat navigating by means of touch screens require no training and nolearning. In fact, the pervasiveness robustness and versatility of the“touch technology” is transforming the way people are living, working,learning, and playing. The “touch technology” is successfully used inmany different applications. For instance, in industrial environments,environmentally-robust touch screens are increasing productivity underhazardous and hostile conditions that would cripple a standard PersonalComputer and keyboard. In hospitals, touch input helps doctors toprescribe medications to patients faster by allowing handwrittenprescriptions. In retail locations, interactive, through-the-windowdisplays let customers shop whenever they want, even when a store isclosed. In mobile and consumer devices, touch and stylus input is thewidely accepted input method for portable, and other mobile devices. Attourist destinations, user-friendly kiosks are a cost-effective way tohelp travelers to get information and make their own reservations.

[0023] The two main advantages of touching are simplicity, as touchingwith the fingertip is the simplest and more intuitive form of pointingand selecting an item, and versatility, as touching is particularlyadapted to applications where the use of a keyboard, a mouse or anoptical pencil or stylus is not practical or is not well adapted to theuser's service or comfort.

[0024] Traditionally, a touch panel is integrated into the computerdisplay. The touch panel and the display forms a combination called“touch screen”. The input device is integrated into the monitor, so nospace is wasted, and the interaction of the user with the system is madeeasier. The system guides the user by showing different choices in theform of icons displayed on the screen. When the user touches the icon ofits choice, the associated action is executed.

[0025] Therefore, there is a real need to provide the user with newsystems and methods for improving printed texts with electronicallystored data in the form of images, sounds and/or additional text.

[0026] U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,697, entitled “Printed Book Augmented with anElectronic Virtual Book and Associated Electronic Data”, discloses asystem and method for augmenting a printed text with electronicallystored data in the form of images, sounds and/or additional text where aprinted book comprising a plurality of pages of text is emulated by anelectronic virtual book, that mimics the appearance of the printed book.This invention is based on the duplication of the paper book, on thecreation of an electronic book over which links to hypermedia aredefined and can be selected by the user.

[0027] U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,729, entitled “Method, System, and Article ofManufacture for Navigating to a Resource in an Electronic Network”,discloses a method for navigating on an electronic network. The methodcomprises the steps of forming an electronic image of an object having aplurality of markable regions associated with a plurality of electronicresources; processing the electronic image to detect which of themarkable regions associated with the plurality of electronic resourcesis marked; generating a list comprising at least one link to at leastone of the electronic resources whose associated markable region ismarked, and displaying a display screen based upon the list. However,this invention requires image scanning and image processing means toread marked regions on hard-copied documents.

[0028] A similar approach, using optical image scanners to accessmultimedia services, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,193, entitled“Multimedia Service Access by Reading Marks on an Object”. This patentdiscloses an apparatus and a method to enable a user to control theselection of electronic multimedia services by means of a scanner forreading marks on an object and for communicating a request signal,having an object code representing the read marks, to a user interface.

[0029] U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,581, entitled “Method and Apparatus forLinking a Document with Associated Reference Information Using PatternMatching” also uses image scanning and pattern matching techniques. Thispatent discloses an apparatus for linking a portion of a document withassociated reference information, wherein the linked portion isdesignated by a predetermined attribute of the received document image,using among several other, a device for electronically scanning theelectronic representation of the document image to locate saidpredetermined attribute of the document's image.

[0030] U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,251 entitled “Hand-held Portable WWW AccessTerminal with Visual Display Panel and GUI-based WWW Browser ProgramIntegrated with Bar Code Symbol Reader in a Hand-supportable Housing”discloses a portable hand-held WWW access terminal for accessingHTML-encoded documents located on the WWW. The terminal includes a barcode symbol reader in a hand-supportable housing for reading URL-encodedsymbols specifying the location of HTML-encoded documents stored ininformation servers connected to the Internet and supporting the TCP/IPstandard. This invention requires the marking of physical documents withbar code symbols and requires bar code readers to trigger hyperlinks.

[0031] Finally, a different approach for having an access to multimediaservices from physical documents is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,265,entitled “Printed Publication Remote Control for Accessing InteractiveMedia”. This patent discloses a remote control system for an interactivemedia comprising a printed publication (such as a book, a magazine or acatalog), and one or a plurality of buttons physically attached to theprinted publication to allow users to remotely control use of associatedelectronic content by a host device.

[0032] From the prior art analysis, there is a real, uncovered need, fora new system and method of controlling the selection and the access tomultimedia services simply by touching with the fingertip items (i.e.,words, icons, figures, foot notes, etc.) printed on books and moregenerally on any type of physical document.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0033] It is an advantage of the present invention that it improves thecurrent systems and methods for selecting and accessing electronicmultimedia services provided by one or a plurality of servers connectedon a communication network.

[0034] It is another advantage of the present invention that it canselects and access said electronic multimedia services directly fromphysical documents.

[0035] It is a particular advantage of the present invention that it canselect and access an electronic multimedia service simply by touching amark or a symbol highlighted in a physical document.

[0036] The present invention discloses a method of selecting andaccessing information or service by touching marked items on a physicaldocument, for use in a user system connected to a communication networkcomprising one or plurality of servers. The method comprises the stepsof identifying a physical document; said physical document comprisingone or a plurality of pages; identifying a page of said physicaldocument; determining the position of a point pressed on a touch foil;said touch foil being placed and aligned over or under the identifiedpage of the physical document; said page comprising one or a pluralityof marked items; said touch foil being pressed at a point correspondingto a selected marked item; identifying the selected marked itemreferring to a hyperlink table, said hyperlink table comprising anindication of the position of each marked item on the identified page;identifying information or service associated with the selected markeditem referring to said hyperlink table, said hyperlink table comprisingfor each marked item of each page of the document the identification ona server of the information or service associated with the selectedmarked item; and accessing the information or service associated withthe selected marked item.

[0037] The present invention also discloses a method of creatinghyperlinks, by touching marked items on a physical document, for use ina user system connected to a communication network comprising one orplurality of servers. The method comprises the steps of creating ahyperlink table for a physical document; said physical documentcomprising one or a plurality of pages; storing in said hyperlink tablean identification of the physical document; for each page of saidphysical document, storing in said hyperlink table an identification ofthe page, storing in said hyperlink table an identification within thecommunication network of information or service associated with eachmarked item and determining the position of points pressed on a touchfoil; said touch foil being placed and aligned over or under the page ofthe physical document; said page comprising one or a plurality of markeditems; said touch foil being pressed at points corresponding to markeditem; and storing the position of the points pressed in the hyperlinktable, said hyperlink table comprising for each marked item, anindication of its position on the page.

[0038] The foregoing, together with other features and advantages ofthis invention can be better appreciated with reference to the followingspecification, claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The novel and inventive features believed characteristics of theinvention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself,however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects andadvantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description of an illustrative detailed embodimentwhen read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0040]FIG. 1 shows the main components of the invention in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0041]FIG. 2 shows an example of touch foil technology in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0042]FIG. 3 shows the process of selection and access to Web pages fromitems marked on a physical document in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the present invention;

[0043]FIG. 4 shows a physical document;

[0044]FIG. 5 shows how items to access information on servers are markedin accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0045]FIG. 6 shows how touch foil is placed on a document in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0046]FIG. 7 shows how the user presses the touch foil over marked itemsin accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0047]FIG. 8 shows how to use the touch foil to enter a documentreference number in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0048]FIG. 9 shows how to use the touch foil to enter a document's pagenumber in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0049]FIG. 10 shows how the user presses the touch foil over selecteditem in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0050]FIG. 11 shows how the information linked with the item touched onthe document is shown in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0051]FIG. 12 is a flow chart of the method of creating hyperlinks on aphysical document in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0052]FIG. 13 is a flow chart of the method of triggering hyperlinks ona physical document in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention; and

[0053]FIG. 14 shows the Miami MetroMover paper map placed underneath atouch foil.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0054] The present invention discloses a system and method for selectingand accessing multimedia information and/or services located on one or aplurality of servers connected to a communication network simply bytouching with a finger items marked on a physical document or on anyother physical surface. The system includes a touch foil placed over (orunder) the document for reading coordinates of selected marked items,and an user workstation for accessing the information and/or the serviceassociated with the selected marked items.

[0055] Items marked on the documents are selected by pressing the touchfoil placed over (or under) the document. Once a marked item isselected, the user workstation receives from the touch foil a signalindicating the position of the selected marked item. The userworkstation identifies in a hyperlink table a server and, within thisserver, the information and/or the service associated with the positionof the selected marked item. Finally, a request is sent to theidentified server for accessing the desired information and/or service.

[0056] In a particular embodiment, the user workstation is connected tothe Internet network and comprises a Web Browser application. Serversare Web servers and the information or/and the service are Web pageslinked to the items marked on the physical document and selected by theuser when pressing the touch foil on the corresponding mark on thedocument.

System for Selecting and Accessing Multimedia Information

[0057] As shown in FIG. 1, the system according to the present inventioncomprises a hard-copy document 101 (e.g., a book) with printed marksidentifying links to multimedia information and/or services on servers,a touch foil 102 (to be placed over or underneath a page of thedocument), and a user workstation 103 for accessing and displayingmultimedia information and services.

[0058] Physical Document

[0059] The physical document 101 can be of any kind, for example, anewspaper, a geographic map, a novel book, a text book, a technicalbook, a commercial catalog or even any other type of engraved or printedsurface (e.g., a painting in a museum of art). The material of thedocument can be paper, plastic, wood or other material. The marksidentifying links from some items of the document to multimediainformation or services on servers can be printed marks placed by thedocument's author or they could be any kind of mark of annotationwritten by the user. For example, each photograph or advertisement in anewspaper, magazine, or catalog can be accompanied by a printed mark.

[0060] Touch Foil

[0061] The touch foil 102 may be made of transparent resistive orcapacitive films of the type used commonly to manufacture touch screens.The generated signal is generally proportional to the coordinates of thepoint pressed. One example of touch foil it would be possible to use isthe TouchTek4 (4-wire Analog Resistive Touchscreens) of MICRO TOUCHcompany (TouchTek™ is a trademark of the MICRO TOUCH Company). TheTouchTeck4 technology is fully described in the Web site of MICRO TOUCHCompany at http://www.microtouch.com/.

[0062] As illustrated in FIG. 2, TouchTek4 touch screens 210 use apolyester sheet 201 with a conductive coating 202 as a verticalconductive electrode, providing one-half of a touch coordinate. Thetopsheet 200 is separated from the bottom layer, a glass substrate 204with a conductive coating 203, by spacer dots 205. The bottom sheet 206is attached to the top sheet 200 by means of an adhesive 209. The bottomsheet 206 forms the horizontal conductive electrode, generating thesecond half of the touch coordinate. Silver bussbars located on thetopcoat 207 and on the bottom sheet 208 pass the touch coordinates tothe touchscreen controller. TouchTek4 touchscreens feature hard-coatedpolyester topsheets 200, available in several surface finishes. Spacerdots 205 are available in several dot arrays, optimized for finger, penand finger, or pen-only input. The conductively-coated glass bottomsheet 203, 204 is available in several thicknesses. Electronic controlis provided by a serial controller, or by 4-wire controllers.TouchTek4's specifications include narrow inactive border areas andcompact touch sensors which allow system designers and OEMs to providethe largest useable screen area and full mouse emulation withoutsacrificing functionality or consuming excess power. Apart from beingsuited for implementing the functions of this invention, TouchTek4touchscreens are commonly used in hand-held personal informationmanagement systems, PDAs, mobile computing systems, automotive,diagnostics and telecom devices, and Internet appliances. TouchTek4touchscreens are engineered to accept more than three million touches toany area of the screen.

[0063] User Workstation

[0064] The user workstation 103 is used to access information and/orservices located on servers connected on the network. The userworkstation may be, for example, an Internet appliance, a multimediaPersonal Computer (PC), a set-top box, a TV monitor, a game console . .. The touch foil may communicate with the user workstation by means of acable, a wire pair, an infrared link, or a wireless radio link.

[0065] Information and/or Service Access

[0066] In order to retrieve and display a multimedia information or toaccess a multimedia service associated with a marked item on a document101, the user touches with his or her finger or exercises a pressure onthe portion of the touch foil 102 placed over (or under) the marked itemhe or she wishes to select. The position of the marked item selected onthe touch foil identifies the server and the information within thisserver the user wants to access. The user workstation 103 then accessesthe identified server and retrieves and displays the information or/andservice associated with the selected marked item.

World Wide Web

[0067] In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3,the user workstation 300 is connected to the Internet network 301. Theuser workstation comprises a user interface 302 including a Web Browser303 (also called “Web Client”) to access the World-Wide-Web (WWW). Inorder to access the Web pages associated with a marked item on adocument 309, the user touches with its finger 306 the touch foil 307placed over or under the marked item 308 he wishes to select. Theposition of the marked item selected on the touch foil identifies theWeb server 305 and the Web pages the user wants to retrieve and display.The Web Browser program 303 sends an HTTP request 304 to the identifiedWeb Server 305. The response to the request (HTTP response) is sent bythe Web Server 305 in the reverse direction to the Web Browser 303. TheHTTP response comprises the requested Web pages associated with theselected marked item.

Selection and Access to Information or/and Services on Servers

[0068] A) Creating Hyperlinks on a Physical Document

[0069] As shown in FIG. 12, the method for creating hyperlinks from ahand written or printed document (like the document shown in FIG. 4entitled “Early British Kingdoms”), to a plurality of servers to accessmultimedia information or services, comprises the steps of: assigning areference number (identifier) to the document (step 1201); for each pageof the document (or portion of the document): marking items (hyperlinks)on the page (step 1202); creating hyperlinks between these marked itemsand information and/or services located on servers (step 1203); placingand aligning a touch foil over (or under) the page (step 1204); pressingthe touch foil on marked items on this page (step 1205); reading andstoring in a hyperlink table the coordinates of marked items on thispage (step 1206).

[0070] Assigning a Reference Number to the Document

[0071] As shown in FIG. 4, for each document he receives, the userassigns a reference number (identifier) to this document (e.g., 387) foridentifying said document, writes this reference number (identifier) onthe document, and creates a hyperlink table associated with the documentand accessible from the workstation, said hyperlink table comprising thereference number of the document and other relevant information relatedto the document such as title, author, ISBN (International Standard BookNumber), or date. The hyperlink table may be stored within the userworkstation or may be stored in an external memory accessible from theuser workstation.

[0072] The header of the new created hyperlink table associated with thedocument shown in FIG. 4, can be built as follows: Doc: 0387 Title:“Early British Author: David Nash Ford of Binfield, Kingdoms” Berkshire,UK Date: 28/01/2000 ISBN: 84-344-0856-2 Pg: X= Y= Link:

[0073] Marking Items on Pages of the Document and Creating theHyperlinks between these Items and information and/or services locatedin Servers

[0074] As shown in FIG. 5, each time the user wants to create ahyperlink for an item on a page of a document, he marks the item on thepage of the document (e.g., by underlining it), enters the page numberwhere the item is marked in the hyperlink table of the document (e.g.,16), associates this item with a destination address within thecommunication network, this destination address identifying a serverconnected to the communication network and the information and/orservices within this server the user wants to access, and enters thedestination address associated with this item (e.g., an URL address forexample) in the hyperlink table.

[0075] The hyperlink table associated with the page shown FIG. 5, can bebuilt as follows: Doc: 0387 Title: “Early British Author: David NashFord of Binfield, Kingdoms” Berkshire, UK Date: 28/01/2000 ISBN:84-344-0856-2 Pg: 16 X= Y= Link: Mabinogionhttp://www.cyberphile.co.uk/˜taff/ taffnet/mabmogion/mabinogion.htm X=Y= Link: Avalon http://freespace.virgin.net/david. ford2/avalon.html X=Y= Link: Afallach http://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach X= Y= Link: Beli Mawrhttp://freespace.virgin.net/david. ford2/gods.html#Beli

[0076] Placing and Aligning the Touch Foil over a Page of the Document

[0077] As shown in FIG. 6, after the hyperlinks of a page have beendefined in the hyperlink table associated with the document, the touchfoil is placed over (or under) the page, and aligned with the borders ofthis page by some conventional means (e.g., by adjusting the upper leftcorner of the touch foil with the upper left corner of the page).

[0078] Reading the Coordinates of Hyperlinked Items on the Page

[0079] As shown in FIG. 7, for each item previously marked on the page(“Mabinogion”, “Avalon”, “Afallach”, “Beli Mawr”), the user presses(e.g., by the finger tip) the touch foil on the corresponding mark todetermine the position (for instance, the coordinates) of the item onthe page.

[0080] Once the measure of the coordinates of each marked item on thepage is completed, the hyperlink table is updated as follows: Doc: 0387Title: “Early British Author: David Nash Ford of Kingdoms” Binfield,Berkshire, UK Date: 28/01/2000 ISBN: 84-344-0856-2 Pg: 16 X=30 Y=95Link: Mabinogion http://www.cyberphile.co.uk/˜ taff/taffnet/mabmogion/mabinogion.htm X=255 Y=150 Link: Avalonhttp://freespace.virgin.net/david. ford2/avalon.html X=225 Y=160 Link:Afallach http://freespace.virgin.net/david. ford2/gods.html#AfallachX=190 Y=230 Link: Beli Mawr http://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Beli

[0081] For example, page 16 of document 387 entitled “Early BritishKingdoms” written by David Nash Ford of Binfield, the coordinates of theunderlined word “Mabinogion” are X=30/Y=95. This underlined word“Mabinogion” points to the URL addresshttp://www.cyberphile.co.uk/˜taff/taffnet/mabinogion/mabinogion.htm.

[0082] Using the herein described method for the different pages of asame document, the hyperlink table would appear like this: Doc: 0378Title: “Early British Author: David Nash Ford of Kingdoms” Binfield,Berkshire, UK Date: 28/01/2000 ISBN: 84-344-0856-2 Pg: 3 X=45 Y=130Link: Buellt & http://freespace.virgin.net/david. Gwerthrynionford2/buellt.html X=205 Y=170 Link: Caer-Baddanhttp://freespace.virgin.net/david. (Bath) ford2/south.htm;#Glour X=75Y=190 Link: Caer- http://freespace.virgin.net/david. Celemionford2/vortigern.html (Silchester) X=100 Y=255 Link: Ceredigionhttp://freespace.virgin.net/david. ford2/ceredigion.html ................ Pg: 16 X=30 Y=95 Link: Mabinogion http://www.cyberphile.co.uk/˜taff/taffnet/mabmogion/ mabinogion.htm X=255 Y=150 Link: Avalonhttp://freespace.virgin.net/david. ford2/avalon.html X=225 Y=160 Link:Afallach http://freespace.virgin.net/david. ford2/gods.html#AfallachX=190 Y=230 Link: Beli Mawr http://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Beli ........ ........ Pg: 39 X=25 Y=30 Link: St. Josephof http://freespace.virgin.net/david. Arimathea ford2/joseph.html. X=80Y=75 Link: The Kings of http://freespace.virgin.net/david. Dumnoniaford2/dumnonia.html. X=140 Y=135 Link: Eudaf Hen &http://freespace.virgin.net/david. Conan Meri. ford2/eudanc.html........

[0083] B) Triggering Hyperlinks from a Physical Document

[0084] The user receives a hand written or printed document, like thedocument entitled “Early British Kingdoms”, (Doc: 387) shown in FIG. 4.Hyperlinks have been previously defined between items marked on thepages and information and/or services on servers connected on thecommunication network. As shown in FIG. 13, the method for triggeringhyperlinks and to access information and/or services directly from theitems marked on the pages of the physical document comprises the stepsof: selecting a document by entering the reference number of thisdocument (step 1301); selecting a page comprising one or a plurality ofmarked items (step 1302); placing and aligning a touch foil over (orunder) the selected page (step 1303); selecting a marked item on thispage by pressing the touch foil on the corresponding mark (step 1304);determining the position of the point pressed on the touch foil (step1305); identifying the selected marked item referring to a hyperlinktable, this hyperlink table comprising an indication of the position ofeach marked items on the selected page of the document (step 1306);identifying the information or/and the service associated with theselected marked item referring to the hyperlink table, this hyperlinktable comprising for each marked item of the selected page theidentification of the requested information and/or service within thenetwork (preferably by means of a destination address) (step 1307);accessing the information and/or service (step 1308); retrieving anddisplaying this information and/or service (step 1309).

[0085] Entering the Reference Number of the Document

[0086] By means of any user interface (keyboard, mouse, touch screen . .. ), the user enters the reference number (identifier) of the document(e.g., document 387) he wants to select. In the particular embodimentshown in FIG. 8, the user enters the reference number of the document(e.g., Doc: 387) by means of the array of pressure sensitive “touchbuttons” printed on the top of the touch foil. The user presses in thefollowing order: a touch button marked “Doc,” and then numerical touchbuttons corresponding to each digit of the document reference number(e.g., “3”, “8” and “7”). This procedure gives access to the hyperlinktable associated with this selected document.

[0087] Selecting a Page Comprising a hyperlink

[0088] By means of any user interface (keyboard, mouse, touch screen . .. ), the user enters the page of the document (e.g., page 16) (or theportion of the document) he wants to select. In the particularembodiment shown in FIG. 9, by means of the array of pressure sensitivetouch buttons printed on the top of the touch foil, the user enters thepage number to select (e.g., Pg. 16). The touch foil can be on anyposition (normally the touch foil is placed over the page comprising thehyperlink to trigger). The user presses in the following order: a touchbutton marked as “Pg”, and then numerical touch buttons corresponding toeach digit of the page number (e.g., “1” and “6”) to select. Thisprocedure gives access to the selected page (e.g., Pg. 16) within thehyperlink table associated with the selected document (e.g., Doc: 387).

[0089] Placing and Aligning the Touch Foil over or under a Page of theDocument

[0090] After having selected a document and a page in this document, thetouch foil is placed over or under the page, and aligned with theborders of the selected page by some conventional means (e.g., byadjusting the upper left corner of the touch foil with the upper leftcorner of the page).

[0091] Selecting a Marked Item on this Page

[0092] As shown in FIG. 10, The user selects a marked item (Afallach) onthe page by pressing (e.g., by means of his fingertip) the touch foil onthe corresponding mark.

[0093] Determining the Position on the Page of the Point Pressed on theTouch Foil

[0094] The touch foil sends a signal to the user workstation to identifyto selected marked item. This signal indicates the position on the pageof the point that has been pressed by the user on the touch foil. Thegenerated signal is generally proportional to the coordinates (X/Y) ofthe point pressed.

[0095] In our example, the touch foil measures the position on the pageof the point pressed (“Afallach”) by the user. The coordinates that aremeasured at this point are around X=225 and Y=160.

[0096] Identifying the Selected Marked Item

[0097] The marked item selected on the touch foil by the user isidentifying thanks to the hyperlink table, said hyperlink tablecomprising an indication of the position (coordinates X, Y) of eachmarked items on each page of the document.

[0098] In our example, the coordinates measured by the touch foil arearound (close to) X=225 and Y=160). They corresponds in the hyperlinktable to the marked item “Afallach”.

[0099] The hyperlink table is either stored locally in the userworkstation, or is retrieved from a remote server and then storedlocally in the use workstation or is stored in a remote server and isaccessed remotely.

[0100] Identifying the Information Associated with the Selected Item

[0101] The hyperlink table comprises for each marked item of each pageof the document the localization within the network of the requestedinformation and/or service. The information and/or service may belocalized by means of a destination address. In the Internet network,Web pages in Web Servers are identified by an URL (Uniform resourceLocator).

[0102] In our example, the hyperlink table associates the marked item“Afallach” with the URL:http://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach.

[0103] Accessing the Information and/or Service

[0104] The user workstation Web triggers the hyperlink (destinationaddress, URL, . . . ) associated in the hyperlinks table, with theidentified marked item.

[0105] In our example, the hyperlink labeled “Afallach” is triggeredsince the system determines from the hyperlinks table that, for thispage (i.e., Pg. 16), X=225, Y=160 are the coordinates of the nearesthyperlink to the sensed position. Thus, in this example, simply pressingnear the marked item “Afallach” will automatically trigger the followinghyperlink on the Web:

[0106] http://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach

[0107] Retrieving and Displaying the requested Information and/orService

[0108] The information contained at the selected destination address(URL) can be displayed on the user workstation. As shown in FIG. 11,additional information (e.g., Document number, page number, marked item,foil coordinates and URL) related to the marked item selected by theuser can be shown on the Web Browser along with the informationretrieved from the Web Server.

Alternative Applications

[0109] Other several possible applications of the present invention aredescribed below. Each of these applications basically use the samepreviously described method and system.

[0110] Installation and Engineering Instructions

[0111] A customer receives a complex computer equipment, with aninstallation manual comprising drawings and schemes of the parts andsubassemblies. Theses parts and subassemblies are labeled with printedmarks representing hyperlinks for accessing additional information on aremote Web server. When the customer touches one of those marked items,multimedia instructions to show how the part needs to be installed orserviced are instantly displayed. It is no more necessary to lookthrough printed manuals to discover how a part is called and what to dowith it. Furthermore, the customer does not need anymore to navigate ona computer terminal among different alternatives paging through multiplemenus and choices and loosing the attention on the general picture andfriendliness of the installation manual. A single printed copy of ageneral view of the equipment is sufficient to navigate with the systemaccording to the present invention. The customer has just to press withhis finger on the desired item over the physical of the installationmanual.

[0112] Newspapers and Magazines

[0113] A subscriber reading a newspaper or magazine, may be interestedin seeing computer multimedia or TV video information associated withthe articles he reads. While reading the sports pages (e.g., on the NewYork Times), key events can be instantly recalled and played on demand(e.g., the opening ceremony of Melbourne Olympic Games, the last imagesof the “Tour de France,” or the last tennis match on Winbledon) simplyby touching a mark, an icon, or an underscored or bold printed word onpages of the newspaper.

[0114] Paper-based Advertising Linked to On-demand Multimedia Ads

[0115] Today, many free-toll calls originate from people readingadvertisements in newspapers or magazines or in direct mail ads.According to the present invention, people can instantly accessmultimedia presentations simply by touching the ads that have drawntheir attention.

[0116] Courses and Textbooks

[0117] Extensive reading is easier to do on paper, but animated videoexplanations and demonstrations are much more effective for somepurposes. The two can be tied together by placing hyperlink marks in atextbook. These hyperlink marks can, for example, link the textbook tolive discussion groups with other students or to live interactions withprofessors and tutors.

Particular Application

[0118] Hypermedia Access from a Paper Map

[0119] In the particular example shown in FIG. 14, the map (e.g., apaper map of the MetroMover, Miami, Fla.) is placed and aligned over thetouch foil. By pressing the map over any selected station name (smallcircles such as “Freedom Tower,” “Financial District,” or “GovernmentCenter”), the information on the Web associated with this foil position(i.e., the information related with the station selected on the map) isretrieved from the Web and displayed on the user Web Browser located inits workstation.

[0120] What has been described is merely illustrative of the applicationof the principles of the present invention. Other arrangements andmethods can be implemented by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of selecting and accessing informationor services by touching marked items on a physical document, for use ina user system connected to a communication network comprising one ormore servers, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a physicaldocument, the physical document comprising one or more pages;identifying a page of the physical document; determining a position of apoint pressed on a touch foil, the touch foil being placed and alignedover or under the identified page of the physical document, theidentified page comprising one or more marked items, and the touch foilbeing pressed at a point corresponding to a selected marked item;identifying the selected marked item by referring to a hyperlink table,the hyperlink table comprising an indication of a position of eachmarked item on the identified page; identifying information or a serviceassociated with the selected marked item by referring to the hyperlinktable, the hyperlink table comprising, for each marked item of each pageof the document, identification on a server of the information or theservice associated with the selected marked item; and accessing theinformation or the service associated with the selected marked item. 2.The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of identifying aphysical document further comprises the step of: accessing the hyperlinktable associated with the identified physical document.
 3. The methodaccording to claim 1 wherein the step of identifying information or aservice associated with the selected marked item by referring to thehyperlink table comprises the step of: determining, by referring to thehyperlink table, a destination address in the communication networkwhere the information or the service associated with the selected markeditem can be accessed.
 4. The method according to claim 3 wherein: thecommunication network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network; the serversare Web servers; the user system comprises a Web browser; thedestination address is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL address); and theinformation or the service comprises at least one Web page.
 5. Themethod according to claim 1 wherein the physical document has a form andcomprises a physical surface and a material, wherein the physicalsurface comprises an engraved, a printed, a painted, or a writtensurface, wherein the material comprises paper, wood, or plastic, andwherein the form comprises a newspaper, magazine, book, catalog,geographical map, photograph, or painting.
 6. The method according toclaim 1 wherein a marked item on a physical document comprises a word, aletter, an icon, a graphic, a symbol, or a mark.
 7. The method accordingto claim 1 where the hyperlink table comprises additional informationrelated to the physical document, the additional information comprisinga title, an author, and a date, and wherein the method further comprisesthe step of: accessing the additional information.
 8. The methodaccording to claim 1 wherein the physical document comprises a pluralityof pages and wherein the identified page is one page of the plurality ofpages.
 9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the touch foil issensitive to the pressure exercised over any point.
 10. A systemcomprising: a user system comprising: means for identifying a physicaldocument, the physical document comprising one or more pages; means foridentifying a page of the physical document; means for determining aposition of a point pressed on a touch foil, the touch foil being placedand aligned over or under the identified page of the physical document,the identified page comprising one or more marked items, and the touchfoil being pressed at a point corresponding to a selected marked item;means for identifying the selected marked item by referring to ahyperlink table, the hyperlink table comprising an indication of aposition of each marked item on the identified page; means foridentifying information or a service associated with the selected markeditem by referring to the hyperlink table, the hyperlink tablecomprising, for each marked item of each page of the document,identification on a server of the information or the service associatedwith the selected marked item; and means for accessing the informationor the service associated with the selected marked item.
 11. The systemof claim 10 : further comprising the touch foil; wherein the user systemis connected to a communication network comprising one or more servers;and further comprising a transmitting means between the touch foil andthe user system for transmitting the position of the points pressed onthe touch foil.
 12. A computer program comprising computer readableinstructions, the computer program comprising: a step to identify aphysical document, the physical document comprising one or more pages; astep to identify a page of the physical document; a step to determine aposition of a point pressed on a touch foil, the touch foil being placedand aligned over or under the identified page of the physical document,the identified page comprising one or more marked items, and the touchfoil being pressed at a point corresponding to a selected marked item; astep to identify the selected marked item by referring to a hyperlinktable, the hyperlink table comprising an indication of a position ofeach marked item on the identified page; a step to identify informationor a service associated with the selected marked item by referring tothe hyperlink table, the hyperlink table comprising, for each markeditem of each page of the document, identification on a server of theinformation or the service associated with the selected marked item; anda step to access the information or the service associated with theselected marked item.
 13. A method of creating hyperlinks by touchingmarked items on a physical document, for use in a user system connectedto a communication network comprising one or plurality of servers, themethod comprising the steps of: creating a hyperlink table for aphysical document, the physical document comprising one or more pages;identifying a page of the physical document; determining a position ofpoints pressed on a touch foil, the touch foil being placed and alignedover or under the identified page of the physical document, theidentified page comprising one or more marked items, the touch foilbeing pressed at points corresponding to a marked item; storing in thehyperlink table an identification of the physical document for each pageof the physical document; storing in the hyperlink table anidentification of the identified page; storing in the hyperlink table anidentification within the communication network of information or aservice associated with each marked item; and storing, in the hyperlinktable, positions of points corresponding to marked items, the hyperlinktable comprising, for each marked item, an indication of its position onthe identified page.
 14. The method according to claim 13 wherein thestep of storing in the hyperlink table an identification within thecommunication network of information or a service associated with eachmarked item comprises the step of: storing a destination address in thecommunication network where the information or the service associatedwith the selected marked item can be accessed.
 15. The method accordingto any claim 14 wherein: the communication network is an InternetProtocol (IP) network; the servers are Web servers; the user systemcomprises a Web browser; the destination address is a Uniform ResourceLocator (URL address); and the information or the service is at leastone Web page.
 16. The method according to claim 13 wherein the physicaldocument has a form and comprises a physical surface and a material,wherein the physical surface comprises an engraved, a printed, apainted, or a written surface, wherein the material comprises paper,wood, or plastic, and wherein the form comprises a newspaper, magazine,book, catalog, geographical map, photograph, or painting.
 17. The methodaccording to claims 13 wherein a marked item on a physical documentcomprises a word, a letter, an icon, a graphic, a symbol, or a mark. 18.The method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of: storingin the hyperlink table additional information related to the document,the additional information comprising a title, an author, and a date.19. The method according to claim 13 wherein the physical documentcomprises a plurality of pages and wherein the identified page is onepage of the plurality of pages.
 20. The method according to claim 13wherein the touch foil is sensitive to the pressure exercised over anypoint.
 21. A system comprising: a user system comprising: means forcreating a hyperlink table for a physical document, the physicaldocument comprising one or more pages; means for identifying a page ofthe physical document; means for determining a position of pointspressed on a touch foil, the touch foil being placed and aligned over orunder the identified page of the physical document, the identified pagecomprising one or more marked items, the touch foil being pressed atpoints corresponding to a marked item; means for storing in thehyperlink table an identification of the physical document for each pageof the physical document; means for storing in the hyperlink table anidentification of the identified page; means for storing in thehyperlink table an identification within the communication network ofinformation or a service associated with each marked item; and means forstoring, in the hyperlink table, positions of points corresponding tomarked items, the hyperlink table comprising, for each marked item, anindication of its position on the identified page.
 22. The system ofclaim 21 : further comprising the touch foil; wherein the user system isconnected to a communication network comprising one or a plurality ofservers; and further comprising a transmitting means between the touchfoil and the user system for transmitting the position of the pointspressed on the touch foil.
 23. A computer program comprising computerreadable instructions, the computer program comprising: a step to createa hyperlink table for a physical document, the physical documentcomprising one or more pages; a step to identify a page of the physicaldocument; a step to determine a position of points pressed on a touchfoil, the touch foil being placed and aligned over or under theidentified page of the physical document, the identified page comprisingone or more marked items, the touch foil being pressed at pointscorresponding to a marked item; a step to store in the hyperlink tablean identification of the physical document for each page of the physicaldocument; a step to store in the hyperlink table an identification ofthe identified page; a step to store in the hyperlink table anidentification within the communication network of information or aservice associated with each marked item; and a step to store, in thehyperlink table, positions of points corresponding to marked items, thehyperlink table comprising, for each marked item, an indication of itsposition on the identified page.